Book Testimonials

“In Through the Rabbit Hole, Jan Engels-Smith applies the wisdom she has gained from years of soul-work in various spiritual disciplines to the basic practices of shamanism. As an adept shamanic teacher she graciously leads the reader through the basics of shamanism, answering the many questions that often plague newcomers to shamanic practice. And readers who already know the basics of shamanism will find potent reminders of the valuable insights that derive from shamanic practice. This is a wonderful book for anyone interested in discovering how shamanism and energy medicine can provide the skills for a more meaningful life.”

Tom Cowan, Author of Fire in the Head: Shamanism and the Celtic Spirit and Yearning for the Wind: Celtic Reflections on Soul and Nature

“Jan’s important book fills you with wonder and faith. It will help you understand the basic and intricate concepts of the shamanic worldview and practices and to open the path to your heart. Jan’s clear step-by-step guide shows you how to apply those core principles to your complex daily lives in the 21st Century and bring our society back into balance with nature.”

Itzhak Beery, Shamanic healer and teacher, author of The Gift of Shamanism, publisher of ShamanPortal.org co-founder of New York Shamanic Circle.

“Jan Engels-Smith has created a vigorous foundation for shamanic practice in her book ‘Through the Rabbit Hole.’ Her book will be compelling for spiritual seekers of every persuasion.”

Hank Wesselman, PhD., anthropologist and author of The Spiritwalker Trilogy, the award-winning Awakening to the Spirit World (with Sandra Ingerman) and The Bowl of Light: Ancestral Wisdom from a Hawaiian Shaman.

“Through the Rabbit Hole: Explore and Experience the Shamanic Journey and Energy Medicine examines and explains the shamanic journey, an ancient technique shamans have used for centuries to access other spiritual dimensions for answers to life’s questions. But that is only the start to where author Jan Engels-Smith, Sh.D, takes the reader as she explores what energy is, and how it can be used to heal and cause change at a personal, community, and world-wide level.

With this book, Engels-Smith ushers in a new era of shamanism, combining the core principles of shamanism, such as the use of the drum while journeying and traveling to specific “worlds” where helping spirit guides and power animals can be found, with more modern aspects – what Engels-Smith refers to as “21st century shamanism.”

Like the high-frequency energy Engels-Smith describes, this book is filled with vibrating stories, explanations, and exercises that help us explore unseen worlds and open up dimensions that we cannot see with our limited human vision. Engels-Smith, who founded LightSong School of 21st Century Shamanism and Energy Medicine in Portland, Oregon, delves into her vast experience with many forms of shamanism, including Egyptian, Celtic, Tibetan, South American, and Native American teachings, then wraps those varying cosmologies together with their core shamanic traditions and mixes in current-day examples and tools to offer a fascinating blend of shamanism for our times.

Through the Rabbit Hole is intended to be a textbook for use by shamanic students, but it is much more, a journey describing journeying, with clear, empowering descriptions that take you on an experiential adventure to connect with and deepen your relationship with the spirit world. Using modern-day real life stories and exercises, combined with ageless shamanic ceremonies and rituals, Through the Rabbit Hole is an invaluable resource that will open the door to those interested in studying this life-altering way to effect deep, profound healing and well-being.”

Through the Rabbit Hole: Explore and Experience the Shamanic Journey and Energy Medicine examines and explains the shamanic journey, an ancient technique shamans have used for centuries to access other spiritual dimensions for answers to life’s questions. But that is only the start to where author Jan Engels-Smith, Sh.D, takes the reader as she explores what energy is, and how it can be used to heal and cause change at a personal, community, and world-wide level.

With this book, Engels-Smith ushers in a new era of shamanism, combining the core principles of shamanism, such as the use of the drum while journeying and traveling to specific “worlds” where helping spirit guides and power animals can be found, with more modern aspects – what Engels-Smith refers to as “21st century shamanism.”

Like the high-frequency energy Engels-Smith describes, this book is filled with vibrating stories, explanations, and exercises that help us explore unseen worlds and open up dimensions that we cannot see with our limited human vision. Engels-Smith, who founded LightSong School of 21st Century Shamanism and Energy Medicine in Portland, Oregon, delves into her vast experience with many forms of shamanism, including Egyptian, Celtic, Tibetan, South American, and Native American teachings, then wraps those varying cosmologies together with their core shamanic traditions and mixes in current-day examples and tools to offer a fascinating blend of shamanism for our times.

“Jan’s teachings, as conveyed in Becoming Yourself: The Journey from Head to Heart, contain the potent ingredients for connecting us with our divine birthright. Combined with readiness and commitment, these teachings have led me on an expansive trajectory of spiritual growth and manifestation that I never imagined possible. This seminal book helps unlock the door to the spiritual truth of our wellness and wholeness in mind, body, and spirit, leading us straight home to the center of our beingness. Through the incorporation of the concepts, beliefs, hands-on activities, and gems of knowledge shared in Becoming Yourself: The Journey from Head to Heart, my life is full with the joyful, unfolding attainment of my dreams. The wisdom and power of these teachings help bring healing and light to people, creatures, and places around the world. They yield to us, truly, the gift of walking in life in union with the benevolent, compassionate spirits. ”

“As a professor of anthropology I spend a great deal of time in my head. So it is a pleasure to read a book which shows me how to reconnect with my heart and my true state of being. Artfully blending psychological reflection, shamanic stories, and personal insights, Jan Engels Smith blazes a clear trail for anyone to follow who is interested in personal growth.”

Mary Courtis, Ph.D

“Jan Engels-Smith brought me her book Becoming Yourself: The Journey from Head to Heart in its previous spiral bound form a couple of years ago and I decided to try it in our store, I was very happy how it began to sell very well right away! The new beautiful cover, perfect bound edition along with her CD’s continue to be strong sellers! Customers have raved about her teachings in the book and CD’s. I can easily recommend them to you and your customers!”

“Becoming Yourself: The Journey from Head to Heart by Jan Engels-Smith. In this classic, Jan outlines basic truths and unifying principles that exist to guide our lives. She uses shamanism, mysticism, psychology, her personal stories and more to lead students in the “chipping away process” of discovering a personal spiritual path. Chapters describe such topics as shamanism, and soul retrieval, universal laws, beliefs, miracles, karma, ritual, ceremony and prayer. Most chapters include exercises to help you internalize the concepts. This is a great tool box in the healing process!”

“Late in the fall of 2002, for several months, I had been feeling at a loss as to for where my path in life was leading. I seemed to have been floating along – oh, doing all the right things, just no sense of direction or any satisfaction in living. I had bought the book Becoming Yourself: The Journey from Head to Heart to Heart 6 months prior, but it had been just sitting on the shelf. One Saturday morning, I started reading – it was as if someone had written down some of my experiences, could this “journey” be happening to many at the same time on parallel timelines. I was so caught in the mystic simplicity of the reading that I couldn’t put it down. It only took one weekend to read, and I began a “re-read” right away. The following Monday – I enrolled in Classes at LightSong, and the path was clear. Life began occurring differently, happy, satisfying and rich.”

Kathy Kobow

“Jan’s book Becoming Yourself: The Journey from Head to Heart has helped me look at my thoughts and beliefs in a different way. It has helped me see how some of my beliefs are based on thinking errors that have been barriers in my spiritual evolution. This has created a huge paradigm shift. Now what, what do I do will all this knowledge in my head? There are many books that are very powerful and enlightening but when you are done what do you do, how do you take that and apply it to your life and make it yours? This is where Jan’s CD’s come in to play. Take Your Body with You has been a great tool to help me explore and expand on what I have learned from her book and classes and trust in my own personal and unique spiritual journey. With this I am taking the knowledge in my head and bringing it to my heart which has been a magical internal transformation.”

“I still fall into the old pitfalls of previous programming and this is when the Awaken-Unburden_Create CD helps me to lift the veils of the illusion that was once my unhealthy and unproductive reality. The guided meditations have aided me in coming back to spirit and remembering that I am co-creating my life and I am not a helpless victim. Here is to becoming who you truly are! Thank you Jan and all the helpers that share these magnificent truths with all of us.”

Virginia Moayyad

“Some time ago I sent out prayers for financial support surrounding my medical bills. I also used Jan’s technique of the manifestation board for this prayer. Well, I received good news this past month. One of the hospitals has zeroed out my balance. They were asking that I pay $300+ a month to pay down a $14,000+ bill. This is a wonderful start to reducing a very big debt!!!”

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Continuing on the theme of Soul Retrieval I offer this brief introduction of why it is a major interest...

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LightSong School of 21st Century Shamanism and Energy Medicine is dedicated to the cultivation of thriving, interlaced communities of well beings through the exploration and practice of shamanism and alternative energy medicine.